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President Donald Trump speaks at a rally to kick off the July Fourth holiday weekend at the Iowa State Fairgrounds on July 03, 2025 in Des Moines, Iowa. (Image courtesy of Getty Images via AFP, Scott Olson/GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA) As he kicked off the country's year-long celebrations of its 250th birthday on Thursday, US President Donald Trump stated that national parks would raise entry fees for foreign tourists to "improve affordability" for Americans. "For this anniversary, I've just signed an executive order to raise entrance fees for foreign tourists while keeping prices low for Americans," Trump told a cheering crowd at a rally in Iowa.
After issuing an executive order, the Republican leader stated, "The national parks will be about America First." "Encourage international tourism to America's national parks" was also one of Trump's instructions to the interior and state departments in it. The order outlined that revenue raised was to be used to improve the infrastructure and "enhance enjoyment" of the country's vast national park system.
It is a rare move by the climate sceptic president to promote the environment and green spaces.
In the executive order, Trump also revoked a 2017 directive by former president Barack Obama on "promoting diversity and inclusion in our national parks," in his latest attack on DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) initiatives.
However, since Trump took office in January, ahead of the summer's peak tourist season, hundreds of permanent National Park Service employees have been laid off, according to some conservation groups.
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